The Witcher The Swallow and The Monster

Season of Storms

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Rain softly pounded against the home. Ciri slowly placed a hand on (F/N)'s forehead, her eyes were filled with tears, she hadn't stopped crying, "He's so cold." She whispered.

Geralt nodded, "I'm sorry."

Ciri broke down again as she pushed her head onto his chest, hoping that he'd wrap his arm around her, "Fangs," she sobbed. She wrapped her arms around him, sobbing completely. Geralt slowly reached forward and rubbed Ciri's shoulder, he knew she was expecting him to say Swallow back to her, "I'm sorry."

"Stop saying that!" Ciri snapped as she wheeled on him, her eyes were already red, her hair was a mess, "Don't say your sorry! You were supposed to have his back! I was supposed to..." The pair embraced yet again, Ciri cried into her father's chest even more, "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

Geralt nodded, as he turned his head slightly, the sound of thunder echoed outside, "Come on...let's head upstairs...we need to..." The witcher chocked up slightly. How would Yennefer react? Triss? Dandelion? Lambert? Eskel? He imagined telling each of them. He looked at (F/N)'s body as it laid there on a slab, waiting to be burned.

The witcher sighed as he slowly extinguished all the candles as he lead Ciri out of the cellar. The storms were raging on outside as they slowly opened the cellar door and shut it. Leaving (F/N)'s body in the dark. No sooner had the darkness enveloped them, then did a pair of bright red eyes reveal themselves. But they weren't (F/N)'s. A large clap of lightning boomed.

The candles slowly re-lit themselves, Aleric finished twisting his fingers into the Ignii sign, "I understand why you witchers use these...they're rather useful."

The vampire walked over to (F/N)'s body as he grabbed a chair and pulled it along, "Did I ever tell you about the time when I first saw a human?"

Aleric sat down next to (F/N) and caressed his cheek, he saw his own hand was turning slightly grey, the rain outside hit harder and harder, "I was disgusted, they just...arrived and proclaimed the land was theirs...and they just...consumed."

The vampire slowly leaned forward, one of his claws extended, "I wanted to fight back...to defend what was ours...but the Elders ordered me to stand down...and we fled. I think that's when I developed a hatred for most of my own kind. How could they just stand there and let...those fat, weak, pathetic things just take? I admit I developed a bit of an admiration for lesser vampires at least they kill them...higher vampires won't even do that. Unless they choose to of course."

Aleric started carving a symbol into (F/N)'s forehead, his long fingernail cutting through the flesh like butter, "So I secretly plotted to overthrow the Elders. I couldn't say this, obviously. So I gave them a lie, which I'm sure Regis regurgitated back to you...he's one of the good ones, but he doesn't see the bigger picture. Humans are part of the problem...but so are the Elders...the ones who let those humans consume. When your dog shits on the floor it's your fault if you don't teach it not to."

The vampire finished carving the symbol and then went to work on his own forehead, lightning crackled outside, "True, humans are a cancer, but they have numbers. For every one of us, there's a hundred of them. And overthrowing an Elder is playing with fire. So I worked tirelessly. I tried diseases, weapons, until eventually I tried my hand in something else...life. But naturally I needed help. And then I met Phillipa. I knew just what to say...a sorceress who clearly wasn't ready to admit she was getting grey hairs. Sorceress' are vein, they're too self-absorbed to deny it, I'll never understand how you managed to befriend more than one. When I put the idea of making a young healthy vessel, she jumped at the chance. You're very lucky you weren't a girl. I'd be calling you Phillipa then."